Social and Creative Enterprise Program

1 WHAT IS THE SOCIAL AND CREATIVE ENTERPRISE GRANT PROGRAM

Central Coast Council’s Social and Creative Enterprise Grant program is provided to support ‘start up’ Social Enterprises and creative industry practitioners.

• Social and Community Enterprise Projects

Social entrepreneurs, community groups and enterprises that apply a business model to meet a specific social need or aspiration with the aim to generate economic sustainability, increase the social and community outcomes and or support the development of innovative new enterprise models within the region.

• Creative Enterprise and Industry Projects

Practicing artists, producers, managers, directors, curators of spaces dedicated to showcasing works of art who are in the development stage of a more ambitious enterprise capable of being implemented via subsequent funding.

2 AVAILABLE FUNDINGTotal funding available per financial year is $150,000

• Applications can be made for funding up to $20,000 per financial year per activity in combined funding and in-kind Council services.

3 KEY DATES• Round 1 – Opens in September 2018

• Round 2 – Opens in February 2019

The Social and Creative Enterprise Grants program is time limited and will cover activities that are able to be completed within a twelve (12) month timeframe from notification of funds being allocated.

One Central Coast Community Strategic Plan Alignment Areas for Community Development Program

Belonging Objectives A1 Work within our communities to connect people, build capacity and create local solutions and initiatives,

B1 Support reconciliation through the celebration of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures

B3 Foster creative and performing arts through theatres, galleries and creative spaces, by integrating art and performance into public life

Smart Objectives D1 Foster innovation and partnerships to develop local entrepreneurs and support start-ups

D2 Support local business growth by providing incentives, streamlining processes and encouraging social enterprises

centralcoast.nsw.gov.au/funding

Social and Creative Enterprise Program

4 EXPECTED PROGRAM OUTCOMESEach application is required to address a minimum of one of the following community outcomes:

4.1 Community benefit aligned to One Coast Community Strategic Plan 2018-28.

4.2 Social and community enterprises that are unique, creative and in a ‘start up’ or development phase.

4.3 Professional artists, creative industry professionals; and creative industries in a ‘start up’ or development phase.

5 TYPES OF ACTIVITIES/ PROJECTS SUPPORTED

5.1 Social Enterprise

• A new idea requiring market research testing or piloting.

• Business and marketing plan development for start-up social enterprises.

• Promotion and establishment assistance for emerging social enterprises.

5.2 Creative Enterprise and Industry

• Business and or professional development of artists and creative industry professionals that influence creative practice and contribute to innovation, creative business activity, new markets and ideas and that benefit the local community.

Example: Business and marketing plan development for start-up creative enterprises.

• Projects that create new opportunities for practicing artists to extend their practices in the creation of new work that responds to places within the region and reaches new audiences through quality presentation.

Example: A first stage play script, film treatment, choreographic work, music score that is inspired by a specific place on the Central Coast suitable to be completed and showcased via a subsequent funded stage.

• Opportunities for new creative partnerships, including community collaborations, that support the exploration and learning of the environment, heritage and culture of the Central Coast.

Example: Artist-in-community collaboration that provides a creative contribution to a new or existing local project or event.

6 ELIGIBILITY6.1 Eligible applicants include: Individuals, Practicing

Artists, Community Groups, Organisations and Businesses.

6.2 Any public space project must be one or more of the following:

6.2.1 Land over which Council has care and control;

6.2.2 Community land owned by Council;6.2.3 Public accessible land owned by another

government body privately owned, or not for profit agency where written permission has been granted for the activity.

6.3 Must operate within the Central Coast area and/or be able to demonstrate benefits for the Central Coast areas residents, workers and/or visitors.

6.4 All applicants must meet the grant program eligibility criteria and address one or more program outcomes.

6.5 Only one application per project, per financial year, may be successful in obtaining funding across any of Council’s grant funding programs.

Where alternative funding options exist for any of the above exclusions, applicants will be advised accordingly.

7 THE FOLLOWING ARE INELIGIBLE7.1 Incomplete applications.

7.2 Proposals from Government Departments, agencies or any Council.

7.3 Proposals from employees or Councillors of Central Coast Council (both in a paid or voluntary capacity).

7.4 Applicants who have overdue acquittals from previous funding from Council under any of Council’s grant programs.

7.5 Applications that do not have asset owner consent, if applicable.

7.6 Applications seeking funds for projects which may have an adverse impact on neighbouring residents or businesses.

7.7 Events, projects or activities with a religious, political or sectarian purpose, where that purpose may exclude or offend members of the broader community.

7.8 Applications seeking funds for retrospective projects or activities (any project or activity commencing within 2 months after the grant round closing date).

7.9 Applications seeking funds for projects of a commercial nature that is for profit or that raise funds for philanthropic purposes for other organisations.

centralcoast.nsw.gov.au/fundingcentralcoast.nsw.gov.au/funding

Social and Creative Enterprise Program

7.10 Applications seeking funds for goods or services to ‘on-sell’.

7.11 Applications seeking funds for prize money, gifts and or awards including trophies, gift vouchers.

7.12 Applications seeking funds for personal benefit such as travel, meal or accommodation costs.

7.13 Applicants who have an outstanding debt to Council or are seeking funds for debt repayment.

8 ASSESSMENT CRITERIA Each application will be assessed as follows:

8.1 Project Idea – Project addresses an identified program outcome as outlined in Section 4.

8.2 Budget - The extent to which the budget is comprehensive, realistic and provides value for money.

8.3 Support - The project shows evidence of community consultation and support and promotes participation.

8.4 Sustainability - The project has a clear beginning and end or demonstrates that any ongoing or recurrent costs of the project can be met by the community group once grant funding has been expended.

8.5 Capacity - Capacity of the organisation to successfully complete the project and to adequately manage funded infrastructure and equipment.

The following criteria are additional specific to each individual category:

8.6 Evidence of a basic business/concept plan, including basic market analysis and stakeholder identification.

Creative Industry Projects

8.7 Artistic statement outlining conceptual rationale and development process of the proposed work with demonstrated experience and expertise of the Project Artist via a resume and folio of relevant completed work.

8.8 Use of appropriate cultural protocol, demonstrated support of relevant stakeholders and agreements that cover creative industry requirements such as authorship, copyright, moral rights etc where artistic and/or community partnerships are involved.

As funding is limited, not every application that meets the assessment criteria will necessarily be successful with being allocated funding or the full funding requested.

9 ASSESSMENT PROCESS9.1 Applications are only accepted online through

Central Coast Council’s website centralcoast.nsw.gov.au and the appropriate online application form. Assistance is provided to any group or individual if requested to ensure access and support with the online system.

9.2 All applications will be assessed by a Grants and Sponsorship Review Panel and recommendations presented to Council for endorsement.

9.3 Central Coast Council reserves the right to request further information in considering any application as well as the right to reject any application that does not meet the criteria.

9.4 Council reserves the right to award an amount less than that applied for if it is assessed that the amount requested is not justified by the information provided in the application or the full amount is not available at the time of the request.

9.5 Applications may be assigned to another grants program as part of the assessment process if the original funding program selected by the applicant is not deemed the most appropriate for the initiative.

9.6 All decisions of Central Coast Council are final and no negotiations will be entered into.

10 NOTIFICATION AND PAYMENT

10.1 All applicants will be notified of the outcome of their application.

10.2 Unsuccessful applicants are encouraged to seek feedback from Council’s Grant Team on their application. Some grant programs are highly competitive and even though an application may meet the program criteria it may not be competitive against other applications.

10.3 Successful applicants may be required to sign a Funding Agreement outlining the requirements of their grant. This Funding Agreement must be signed prior to funding being provided.

10.4 All projects must be completed as agreed upon within the funding agreement.

10.5 All successful applicants are required to provide an interim report on their project as per their Funding Agreement.

10.6 A final project report must be submitted no later than twelve (12) weeks after the agreed completion date of the activity/project with copies of any

photos and promotional materials as specified in the Funding Agreement. All funds will need to be acquitted as detailed in the funding agreement.

10.7 Applicants who do not complete and return an acquittal report by dates agreed in their Funding Agreement will be ineligible for any future funding.

11 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

11.1 Applicants are required to provide two quotes for each item valued at $1000 or more for capital works and / or equipment.

11.2 Offer of funds by Council in no way implies any ongoing funding commitment or obligation by Central Coast Council.

11.3 Approval of a grant does not imply that Central Coast Council has given any other consent. Appli-cants should note that many festivals and events require approvals and consents from Central Coast Council, NSW Police and other state government agencies.

11.4 To ensure an accountable and transparent assess-ment process is maintained, Council staff and fund-ing assessors are required to declare any potential pecuniary or non-pecuniary conflict of interest.

11.5 All written and verbal communication regarding an application will only be with the applicant or the contact person listed in the application.

11.6 All grants are governed by Central Coast Council’s Policy for Community Grants.

centralcoast.nsw.gov.au/funding

Social and Creative Enterprise Program